Japan | Koganecho Bazaar artist-in-residence call

In Yokohama city district, the Koganecho Bazaar 2014 project considers urban planning as a creative multicultural platform of collaborative art practices and perspectives. A call for artists from outside Japan for 30-90 day residencies on the theme of 'Fictive Communities', to contribute to the revitalisation of the area. The projects for this event take place in different locations including former brothels, railway buildings, outdoor spaces and walls, showroom windows, shops etc.

Proposals for creative work in any genre may be submitted, but participants must stay at least 30 days or longer in Koganecho (up to 90 days). Around 10 residencies for foreign artists are available.

Deadline for applications: January 31 2014

Creative Period of Residency : June 1 to August 1, 2014
The actual period of creation is flexible, depending on the details of the proposal, but must include a minimum 30 day (up to 90 days) stay in Koganecho area. The artist is required to realize creation and implementation of the artwork by the opening of the exhibition: Exhibition Period: August 1 (Fri) to November 3 (Mon), 2014

Check the full eligibility criteria - main points:

Applicants must not have Japanese citizenship and may not be residing in Japan.

Applicants must be self-sufficient and independent workers prepared to take on the entire creative process and adjusting to daily life in a new setting.

Applicants must be able to explain their work in either English, Korean, or Japanese and must be able to understand English at the level of daily conversation.

“Koganecho Bazaar” is an art festival hosted by the Koganecho Area Management Center (KAMC), a non-profit organization that uses art to revitalize the Koganecho Urban Area at Yokohama City Naka Ward. Held every autumn since 2008, and using the city’s everyday spaces as a stage, the festival has invited and presented more than 140 groups of artists, curators, and architects from Japan and abroad. In 2014, the festival will be expanded into an international art festival showcasing thirty new artworks by both local and international artists and groups.

Koganecho Area Management Center has since its inception, been promoting international exchanges that focus on Asian regions and has been working towards building a productive network of artists and curators through the Artists in Residence (AIR) program focusing on the concept of ‘Community and Art.’ In 2013, KAMC held a three days public event Asian Art Exchange Symposium: Alternative Route with guest artists and curators from six Asian countries (China, Taiwan , Indonesia , Thailand , Philippines and Vietnam ) together with participating Japanese artists and art practitioners. In the wake of the symposium, KAMC is expanding our current network to include diverse cultures in East and Southeast Asian countries.